Vehicle control apparatus

Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus detects position and speed of a host vehicle, detects position and speed of each of a stationary object and a moving object which are ahead of the host vehicle, calculates a passing position at which the host vehicle passes the moving object based on the position and the speed of the host vehicle and the position and the speed of the moving object, sets an area around the stationary object, and when the passing position is within the area, controls travel of the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:
 a state detector configured to detect position and speed of a host vehicle; 
 an object detector configured to detect position and speed of each of a stationary object and a moving object which are ahead of the host vehicle; 
 a position calculator configured to calculate a passing position at which the host vehicle passes the moving object, based on the position and the speed of the host vehicle and the position and the speed of the moving object; 
 an area setter configured to set an area around the stationary object; and 
 a travel controller configured to determine where the passing position is with respect to the area and controls travel of the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area, 
 wherein:
 when the travel controller determines the passing position is at a center of the area, the travel controller causes the host vehicle to travel at a certain speed for a certain period of time, and 
 when the travel controller determines the passing position is moved toward the host vehicle after the certain period of time, the travel controller decelerates the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area toward the host vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein when the object detector detects a preceding vehicle on a lane of the host vehicle, the position calculator generates a profile of the speed of the host vehicle which allows an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle to be equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and calculates the passing position using this profile. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the area setter extends the area by adding a margin to the moving object side of the area. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the area setter sets the margin according to a traffic condition on the lane of the host vehicle. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when the object detector detects a plurality of moving objects, the position calculator calculates the passing position for each of the moving objects, 
 when the number of the moving objects is smaller than a predetermined number, the travel controller decelerates the host vehicle to move all the passing positions out of the area toward the host vehicle, and 
 when the number of the moving objects is larger than the predetermined number, the travel controller accelerates the host vehicle to move all the passing positions out of the area toward the moving objects. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a stop position estimator configured to calculate a shortest stop position of the moving object based on the speed of the moving object and maximum deceleration preset for the moving object, wherein 
 when the shortest stop position is at a center of the area, the travel controller decelerates the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area toward the host vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a stop position estimator configured to calculate a stop position of the moving object based on the speed of the moving object detected by the object detector and deceleration of the moving object, wherein 
 when the stop position is within the area at a position closer to the moving object than a center of the area is, the travel controller accelerates the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area toward the moving object. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when the moving object is stopped, the position calculator calculates the passing position by replacing the speed of the moving object with a first corrected speed. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when the host vehicle is stopped, the position calculator calculates the passing position by replacing the speed of the host vehicle with a second corrected speed. 
 
     
     
       10. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:
 a state detector configured to detect position and speed of a host vehicle; 
 an object detector configured to detect position and speed of each of a stationary object and a moving object which are ahead of the host vehicle; 
 a position calculator configured to calculate a passing position at which the host vehicle passes the moving object, based on the position and the speed of the host vehicle and the position and the speed of the moving object; 
 an area setter configured to set an area around the stationary object; and 
 a travel controller configured to determine where the passing position is with respect to the area and controls travel of the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area, 
 wherein when the travel controller determines the passing position is at a center of the area, the travel controller causes the host vehicle to travel at a certain speed for a certain period of time, and 
 when the travel controller determines the passing position is moved toward the moving object after the certain period of time, the travel controller accelerates the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area toward the moving object. 
 
     
     
       11. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:
 a state detector configured to detect position and speed of a host vehicle; 
 an object detector configured to detect position and speed of each of a stationary object and a moving object which are ahead of the host vehicle; 
 a position calculator configured to calculate a passing position at which the host vehicle passes the moving object, based on the position and the speed of the host vehicle and the position and the speed of the moving object; 
 an area setter configured to set an area around the stationary object; and 
 a travel controller configured to determine where the passing position is with respect to the area and controls travel of the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area, 
 wherein when the travel controller determines the passing position is at a center of the area, the travel controller causes the host vehicle to travel at a certain speed for a certain period of time, and 
 when the travel controller determines the passing position is not moved after the certain period of time, the travel controller decelerates the host vehicle to move the passing position out of the area toward the host vehicle.